The Skeleton Detective
by NightcatMau
Summary: Skulduggery is in love with Valkyrie, but he's sure she doesn't return his affections. Little does he know what she and Echo Gordon have in store for him. Valduggery one-shot, enjoy!


A/N: I don't own Skulduggery, Valkyrie, or Gordon. The scene takes place in Gordon's study. Val is about 22, Skulduggery is seated in a leather chair Gordon had for guests.

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Skulduggery sighed. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, to tell her at last. But she seemed oblivious to him attentions. True, he was being subtle, but Valkyrie Cain was no fool. She had to know how he felt about her. True also that he never put it into words, but surely he didn't have to. He sighed again, flinching slightly when he heard her enter the room.

Valkyrie tilted her head slightly, smiling as she always did when she say him in a way that melted his heart. But he couldn't speak, perhaps if she thought he was meditating she'd go away and let him collect himself. "Skulduggery?" She asked. He didn't dare move. Just hold perfectly still, she'll go away. He had been feeling tired lately come to think of it, perhaps if he did meditate now it would be for the best.

"Skulduggery?" Her face was centimeters from his, her hand was on his shoulder, he could feel her warm breath on his face and it was all he could do to not react. Still, he didn't dare move. He watched her back away, but she still spoke, back turned to him.

"Did I do something wrong? Is that why you're not speaking to me?" It broke his heart, but he met her with silence. She could never do anything wrong in his eyes, except to not return his love. He had to stay still, not let her know he was awake.

She turning, frowned at him slightly. What was she angry about now? But then she fetched a blanket and covered him. He almost jumped at the gesture. Never, in a million years had she done something like this. The warmth of the blanket was soothing. Odd, he'd never thought of using one before, but then, he reminded himself, he didn't deserve such comforts. Still it was nice of her.

She was looking at him now, hands thrust into her pockets. When had she picked up that bad habit from him? Her mobile rang and she answered. "Hi, Tanith. No, everything's fine. No, he's meditating right now. Yeah. " She tilted her head, frowned thoughtfully.

"Well I can't tell him that, you know that. Well because he isn't interested, that's why. Uh-huh, yeah. Talk to you later, sister. Bye." Wasn't interested in what? Skulduggery felt his non-existent heart leap. Surely she wasn't interested in him.

Valkyrie had gotten down a slim book of her uncle's he'd never seen before. She glanced over at him, smiled softly, and began to read. Something in the book made her smile. A few pages later and she was grinning broadly now, her finger tracing something in the book. Echo Gordon chose that time to make an appearance.

"Ah, my masterwork. My magnum opus. Do you like the illustrations? I did them myself."

Valkyrie smiled at him. "I love them. But you took a risk writing this for me, if he ever found it I'd have all sorts of interesting questions to answer."

Gordon smiled. "Tell him my muse had struck and I simply had to write. Besides you deserve to have the man you love in print, if not in reality. I'm afraid you take after me in that regards, but c'est la vie."

She was in love. But with whom? Skulduggery congratulated himself on this bit of detective work, neither one of them suspected a thing. He realized both of them had stopped speaking. He flicked his gaze over. Gordon was leaning the best he could against a bookcase and Valkyrie was nearing the end of the little volume. How he wanted to know what was in it! He'd simply have to pay attention to where she put it. He smiled smugly to himself.

Gordon, spoke, almost laughing. "So whats your favorite part, anything you'd care to read out loud? Don't be shy, my ego could use the praise." Valkyrie blushed, flipped back in the book, pointed out a passage. Gordon nodded, pleased with himself. Skulduggery fought the urge to just go grab the book. He lost all self control when he was around her. God only knew which of the simpering boys she had dated was in the book.

Gordon drew himself up to his full height, gestured with one hand out. "Truly my favorite passage as well. There is something so humbling to the male ego when she has to trap him into a confession of his love. I especially like the bit about seeing his expression change. How she can read his moods, even though he is, shall we say, a skeleton."

Skulduggery felt his heart drop, Did they know he was awake? Were the mocking him? His gaze flicked to Valkyrie, but she was looking at Gordon. "Yeah, but she was in love with him too, don't forget, so your device of using a room like this one so SHE could confess to him first, well that was brilliant."

Gordon smiled, happily, agreed, and retreated to the Echo Stone. Valkyrie stood and stretched, replacing the slim volume in a drawer even Skulduggery didn't know about in Gordon's desk. The little sneak. She gave him one last smile, then left the room. When he heard her go downstairs and heard the TV clicked on he rose from the chair and fetched the book. She could have at least locked the drawer to make it a challenge.

Still, the slim red volume bore the title 'The Skeleton Detective' on the front. That at least was interesting, he skimmed the text, noticing both how first rate the sketches were and how they looked exactly like himself and Valkyrie.

He became absorbed in how each small story was from her point of view. Though clearly the part about falling in love with him she had neglected to mention to him. He read on, finding the scene she spoke of. Set in Gordon's study. With him asleep in the chair, with the same exact words spoken. With the Skeleton Detective being awake and listening to every word they said. It went on about Gordon retreating and Valkyrie going downstairs to put the TV on. All he had to do to finish the scene was to go tell her how he felt.

Smiling to himself, the Skeleton Detective pocketed the book and headed for the stairs.

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**Um, OK, unless both Echo Gordon and Valkyrie psychic Val's confession would be a bit hard to set up. Which I only realized after it played out. Can't win them all. Still cute though.**


End file.
